Carnival for carnivores

For every accent heard on Queenstown’s streets, there are delicious and distinct flavours cooking in its kitchens.

The resort’s ability to draw people and influences from far flung places around the world is creating something of a paradise for epicurist foodies.

Deli butchery Zamora Homemade sums up the town’s eclectic mix of heritage recipes created with locally-sourced ingredients and sometimes influenced by Kiwi culture.

It will be one of 20 international food stalls at the Auckland Airport Community Carnival on Sunday, June 30.

The Hylton Place business was established three years ago by Argentinean chef Nicolas Karlsson and Uruguayan business partner Matias Mautone – who grew up making sausages on his father’s farm.

“We started off at the very beginning only doing South American-style sausages,” Karlsson says, “fresh chorizo sausages.

“We made them originally for friends and our own BBQs but they liked them so much we went into business.

“Now we have 16 different flavours including German style, South African and Kiwi classic. We would have customers coming in and saying ‘oh, maybe you can do some South African style’ so then we started doing our own version of the Boerewors.

“We introduced Kiwi classics like lamb and rosemary because when we go to events where there’s going to be only New Zealanders, like Alexandra Blossom Festival – if we don’t bring them, we don’t sell out.”

Other international food on offer on the streets will include hearty Guinness pies from Ireland, Belgian waffles, Indian bhajis and steaming French onion soup.

Festival manager Lisa Buckingham says: “The whole thing is to create an event that is community orientated but represents the diverse cultures of Queenstown residents.

“It’s a good way to celebrate some of the people who’ve chosen to make Queenstown their home and also what is quintessentially Queenstown.”

Zamora Homemade will offer its gourmet sausages, sandwiches and a traditional South American soup called Locro, corn-based with pumpkin, beans and meat.

“Actually about a third of the soup is meat,” Karlsson says. “It’s very warming.”

They will be located in the South American zone, with Flamenco dancer Carmen.

And Kiwi cuisine will also be well represented.

The Queenstown Deer Stalkers Association will dish out venison burgers while Queenstown Primary will serve up kai cooked the Maori way – from a Hangi. The pupils will also dish out apple crumble, alongside performances from their kapa haka group.